It’s the August bank holiday, and the last one until the Christmas period. For many of us that means a long weekend, and a momentary break from work, but that’s not always the case for those who volunteer and help manage professional membership associations. In organisations where purpose, passion and pressure often mix together, truly switching off can be easier said than done.
If you are leading a membership body, juggling trustee responsibilities, or managing a small team, the idea of “rest” can easily drift into the abstract. It’s often something we encourage for others but quietly deny ourselves.
It’s Not Just a Day Off
Bank holidays are one of the few times in the year when stepping away from work isn’t just allowed, it’s expected. The office is closed. The inbox is quiet. Yet, the urge to “just get ahead” can still creep into mind.
We all know the colleague who tries to squeeze in a few admin tasks before the family BBQ. Blurring the boundaries of protected time off causes us to lose the collected pause that these days are designed to create. Switching off on a bank holiday isn’t about luxury, it’s about a well-deserved break for everyone.
Why Switching Off in the Not-for-profit Space Matters
The volunteer work in this sector matters deeply. It’s work that’s driven by values, causes and communities. Although it can be the commitment to this work that makes it difficult to set boundaries, especially when your to-do list always seems a little longer than the time you have to complete it.
Encouraging people to fully switch off, and actively modelling these behaviours ourselves, helps to create healthier organisations where people feel trusted with and not tethered to their work. Without rest, people burn out, become reactive, and end up missing out on the big picture work they’ve signed themselves up to do.
What Switching Off Actually Looks Like
Communicate to the team: Remind your team that it’s expected that they rest.
Don’t reward overwork: Praising people for powering through the time they should be spent resting sends them the wrong message.
Model the behaviour: If you’re in a leadership role, setting an example matters. Step away and make it clear you’re doing so.
Design for downtime: Are your processes set up in a way that people can step away and shut down for a few days without things toppling over?
Respect the time off: Don’t just “ping something over” via email. It’s a bank holiday, it can wait.
A Long Weekend is a Good Start
The first day back after the bank holiday is a perfect time to reflect. Were you and your team able to log off fully? What would’ve made it easier?
Understanding the answer to these questions can help you to build resilience throughout your organisation. Understanding the intricacies of how everything works together will be extremely advantageous if you encounter any hurdles in the future.
How we can help
We recognise the importance of bank holidays, so we’ll be at home resting, but we always make sure everything is order and ready for the office shutdown, so you don’t have to stress.
At Cygnul we work in partnership with our clients and are seen as trusted advisors to the Board. We can undertake the full range of membership, secretarial and bookkeeping services as well as offering advice and support to associations around the UK. If you want to explore how these services could help your organisation, please get in touch with us.